Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared before the House Ways and Means Committee on Thursday, defending a proposed 12.5% reduction in the federal Health and Human Services (HHS) budget, while facing intense questioning from Democratic lawmakers over vaccine policy changes and past public statements.
The hearing marked his first appearance before federal lawmakers since September and opened a week-long series of seven budget hearings across congressional committees and subcommittees.
Trump’s proposed fiscal 2027 budget calls for a 12.5% cut to the Health Department, part of a wider plan that raises defense spending to $1.5 trillion while reducing non-defense discretionary programmes by 10%.
A Measles Standoff
The most heated exchange came over measles outbreaks in the United States. Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-Calif.) questioned Kennedy about the CDC’s decision to scale back pro-vaccine public health messaging during recent outbreaks.
She argued the move weakened public awareness at a time when vaccination rates have declined in some areas.
Kennedy did not directly answer whether the policy change was appropriate. However, he acknowledged that a 6-year-old child who died of measles in West Texas last year could potentially have been saved through vaccination, saying, “It’s possible, certainly.”
Denials And Disputes
A second confrontation arose when Rep. Terri Sewell (D-Ala.) challenged Kennedy over remarks he made in 2024 about Black children and psychiatric medications.
Kennedy denied making the comments or disputed their framing.
Separately, federal regulators are reviewing whether to ease restrictions on several peptide-based therapies that have gained popularity in wellness and fitness markets. The agency has scheduled meetings in July to assess whether certain compounds should remain restricted or be allowed for broader pharmacy compounding use.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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